


Just one breath after another

by Woldy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/F, First War with Voldemort, POV Female Character, War Era, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-27
Updated: 2011-07-27
Packaged: 2017-10-22 10:16:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/237010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woldy/pseuds/Woldy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five days ago Marlene lay beside her on this bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just one breath after another

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2011 International Day of Femslash Challenge, using the prompt "the very last time". This isn't very upbeat, but I've been in the mood for wartime fics recently and it's past time I wrote First Order femslash. This ficlet isn't betaed, and I apologise for any mistakes.

Dorcas wakes with the knowledge that something is wrong, but it takes a few seconds for the unease to crystallize. Her senses register uncanny silence, cool sheets, the uneven feel of the mattress, and then the recollection hits her like a punch in the gut. The grief is so intense, so visceral, that it hurts to breathe.

Five days ago, Marlene lay beside her on this bed.

Without opening her eyes, Dorcas pulls Marlene's pillow to her and inhales. The scent is faint, fading with every hour, but as she breathes in the smell of Marlene's hair it's almost possible to believe the last few days were a nightmare.

If she had a timeturner, Dorcas would relive those last minutes together — Marlene's head thrown back and breasts jiggling with laughter as Dorcas kissed every freckle on her body. She remembers how Marlene's skin felt beneath her fingertips, hot and slick, sweat pooling in the crease of Marlene's hip and the hollow between her breasts.

Dorcas inhales again, burying her face in the pillow, and thinks about how Marlene's giggles turned to gasps, then moans, as she spread Marlene's thighs wide and buried her face in the moist curls. For a moment, Dorcas can almost taste Marlene on her lips again, as Marlene's body quivered, toes curled, one hand clutching the short crop of Dorcas' hair, before she came in a wet rush.

If only she had a timeturner, Dorcas could stop Marlene leaving the bed that morning.

Now the room is silent, the bed still, and Dorcas opens her eyes. Sunlight slices between the blinds, casting golden stripes across the floor — Marlene would say it was inviting her to go out and feel it on her face.

On the dresser across the room lie Dorcas' black suit, a pressed shirt, and a black tie for the memorial service.

"You know I love you in that suit," Marlene's voice says in her head.

Dorcas draws in one more deep, quavering breath, and then releases the pillow. Sentimentality will get her nowhere. There is a service to attend, a lawyer to meet, Death Eaters to fight. Always more Death Eaters to fight.

In an hour, Lily will be here to accompany her to the service, and Dorcas should be ready. One step at a time, just one breath after another, she gets out of bed and keeps on living.


End file.
